NCJ Number
170626
Editor(s)
E Chelimsky,
W R Shadish
Date Published
1997
Length
549 pages
Annotation
Features of the professional landscape that will become increasingly salient in evaluation for the 21st century are examined in this handbook, and evaluation is viewed as being increasingly international in nature, diverse in what it is asked to evaluate, and self-conscious about its own identity.
Abstract
As evaluation continues to become more methodologically diverse, social science researchers have a full array of techniques, including psychology, statistics, education, sociology, political science, anthropology, and economics. Evaluators may find themselves at odds with political actors, systems, and processes that militate against the free flow of information required by evaluation. As the world becomes more politically diverse and complex in the 21st century, evaluators will be called upon to exhibit considerable courage in the normal pursuit of their work. Contributors to the evaluation handbook specifically focus on transformations in evaluation, the political environment of evaluation, evaluation as an essential component of "value for money," performance auditing, performance measurement, global issue evaluation in community settings, evaluation research, and evaluation in developing countries. In addition, contributors address the evaluation of human rights violations, immigration policies, gender issues, foreign aid, nuclear issues, and environmental issues. Contributors also look at multimethod evaluations, case studies, cross-design synthesis, empowerment evaluation and accreditation, cluster evaluation, scientific realist evaluation, single-case evaluation, advocacy in evaluation, and truth and objectivity in evaluation. Evaluation strategies used in Sweden, the United Kingdom, the People's Republic of China, Denmark, and Russia are described. References, tables, figures, and photographs